.Offers solutions to lingering division among Supporters’ clubs; Calls for more media collaboration
The President, Super Eagles Supporters’ Club, Prince Vincent Okumagba has charged the Super Eagles to maintain the same intensity and momentum of their group stage games of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in all their remaining matches of the competition holding in Cameroon if they are to fulfill the objective of lifting the fourth title.
Okumagba who disclosed this in a world press conference with sports journalists in Garoua, Cameroon said even though the Eagles didn’t have the best of preparations for AFCON, the team has won over his heart with the way they dealt with the Pharaohs of Egypt and their remaining Group D rivals.
As the team set out to face the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia in the Round of 16 on Sunday in Garoua, Okumagba warns the Eagles not to underrate their North African opponents despite the fact that they struggled to make it to the second round.
“From what I have seen so far, I think we can go all the way. If you had asked me before the commencement of the tournament, I might not have said what I am saying now. I was in Uyo with the interim head coach, Austin Eguavoen when his appointment to lead the Super Eagles was announced and I know what he said,” Okumagba told journalists at the Super Eagles Supporters’ Club base In Garoua.
“But seeing his formation and the way the team played against Egypt and the rest of the opponents in Group D, I felt good because they didn’t play under pressure. I think they can go all the way but they cannot rest on their oars. They should not think that they have arrived because we can see that they struggled against Sudan because even though they won, their energy level dropped.
“They have started on a fast pace and they must sustain that momentum. I like the way they are playing as a team and they should continue in that routine and shouldn’t get complacent.”
The soft spoken President of the Super Eagles Supporters’ Club also reacted to the lingering issue of division among the various Supporters’ Clubs in Nigeria and he called on the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) to arbitrate to ensure peace reigns.
He said if the NFF is able to wade into the seeming crisis and invite the leaders of various supporters’ clubs for a roundtable discussion, it may help resolve the issue of disunity in the supporters’ clubs and also ensure the various clubs agree to work together especially at international competitions to the limit the so called discordant tunes.
“It is possible to work together but ours is too obvious. If you go other countries, we have more than one supporters clubs. The task to unite the various supporters’ clubs is for the NFF to do it,” Okumagba further stated.
“There is a need for supporters’ clubs to unite and come together if it will only be at the international level. I believe it is doable if the NFF can call a roundtable meeting and talk to the leaders of various supporters’ clubs.
“For me, I am interested in peace because Nigeria is big enough for everybody and whatever we do, we must project the image of the country positive.”
The SESC also thumbs up the untiring and selfless efforts of his group for weathering through the storm to offer ceaseless support to the Super Eagles in Garoua, Cameroon even when he was engaging in other activities outside Cameroon for the good of the club.
Okumagba who reeled out some of the positive achievements of the club equally hailed the emergence of Iyabo Makanjuola as the CAF Fan of the Match for the Super Eagles’ game with Egypt and the general support accorded the Nigeria’s national team in the group stage of the competition. He charged them never to waver in their quest to support the Eagles to the African title in Cameroon.
He also praised the media for beaming their activities to Nigerians and the entire globe. He called for more collaboration between the media and the Super Eagles Supporters’ Club
“I am very proud of the people I am leading. We are here to support our team and we are not here to cause the breakdown of law and order. We are here to propagate the image of Nigeria positively,” Okumagba added.
“We are here to give the Super Eagles the maximum support they deserve for them to win this trophy. We have recorded so many breakthroughs in the past few months. Just a few months ago, I was chosen by FIFA as the number fan in Nigeria and I was taken to Qatar on an all-expense-paid trip.
“We organized a Supporters’ club award at Sheraton Hotel and we are going to do another one this year. Three days ago, Iyabo Makanjuola won the Most Well Dressed Fan of Match against Egypt,” he concluded.
